Is Your Baby's Head Normal Or Should You Worry It Is Hydrocephaly?

From birth to 3 months of age the average increase in your baby's head
circumference is usually 2 cm or .78 inches each month. From 4 to 6 months
of age, the head circumference or head growth slows to about 1 cm per
month. Now, these are just guidelines and every baby is different so do
not become concerned if your baby's head is growing a little faster
than normal. However, if the head circumference is rapidly growing and
there are other neurological signs your child is exhibiting, the pediatrician
should be questioning if there is an underlying pathology or hydrocephalus
that could be causing the rapid increase in your newborn's head size.
Hydrocephaly or hydrocephalus is a buildup of fluid inside the skull that
leads to brain swelling. It is also referred to as
"water on the brain."

When there is a rapid increase in the size of a baby's head or skull
it may be hydrocephaly if one or more of the following symptoms are also seen:

Bulging or tense fontanel or soft spot

Bulging eyes

Downward gaze or sun setting eyes - eyes looking down

Upward gaze - eyes looking up

Constantly crossed-eyed

Very large pupils

Fussiness

High pitched or shrill cry

Persistent vomiting

How Is Hydrocephaly Treated?

If a pediatrician or nurse practitioner notices a rapid increase in your
baby's head circumference in addition to the above symptoms they may
also check to see if the veins on your baby's scalp are swollen or
stretched. They may also tap lightly on your baby's skull to see if
they hear a difference indicating there may be fluid under the skull.
If the doctor or nurse practitioner suspects hydrocephaly they may order
a CT scan of the brain, x-ray, ultrasound or other studies to detect if
there is a problem.

If hydrocephaly is diagnosed, the primary treatment is aimed at reducing
the amount of fluid or pressure in the skull or on the brain. Medications
such as Diamox or Mannitol may be used until it is determined what is
causing the hydrocephalus. The goal of treatment is to reduce or prevent
brain damage by improving the flow of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF).
Surgery may be performed to remove a cyst or mass that could be blocking
the flow of the CSF. Other times, a shunt may be placed to redirect the
CSF fluid to another area of the body such as the stomach where it can
be absorbed.

Was There A Delay in Diagnosis?

If you believe there was a delay in diagnosing your child's hydrocephalus
you may be eligible for compensation. Since 1958, the
experienced medical malpractice team at The Beasley Firm, LLC has been successfully representing victims of
medical negligence. To date, we have had over $2 billion awarded on behalf
of our injured clients. We currently have on staff a nurse attorney and
nurse who have worked in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and pediatric
intensive care units (PICU) caring for infants and children who developed
hydrocephaly and required surgery or shunt placement.

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The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Please
note: All cases are different and past results do not predict future case outcomes.

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